Lauren SweeneyMany professionals walk into boardrooms feeling like they do not belong. Even with years of experience, that voice in the back of your head might say you are a fraud. This feeling is common, but it does not have to stop your growth. To move forward, you need to look at how you see yourself and how others see you. A confidence coaching program helps you bridge that gap by teaching you how to own your space and lead with impact.
In a recent talk on Rise Up for You TV, experts Lauren Sweeney and Heidi Gyos shared how coaching changes lives. They looked at real world cases where leaders felt stuck. By using specific tools, these leaders learned to turn their quiet fears into loud successes. Becoming a better coach for yourself and your team is a journey that requires transparency and a willingness to look at your own soft skills.
Why You Need a Confidence Coaching Program Today
It is easy to think that more hard skills will make you feel ready. You might get another degree or learn a new software. However, true leadership comes from soft skills like emotional intelligence and self-worth. This is why a confidence coaching program is so vital for people at every level of business. Whether you are a new hire in your 20s or a CEO with decades of work behind you, your inner belief dictates your outer results. You can refine these leadership skills through our academy and various online courses.
Overcoming the Imposter Within
Take the case of Britney. She is a young professional in her 20s who sits in meetings with high level stakeholders. Even though she is smart and capable, she feels intimidated. She wonders why she is there. Heidi Gyos points out that many executives feel this way. They call it imposter syndrome. It is the feeling that you are a fake and that people will soon find out you do not know what you are doing. Many entrepreneurs face this same hurdle when trying to scale their small business.
A coach helps you ask the hard questions. Why do you think you don't belong? Most of the time, the people above you put you in that room because they trust you. They see your value even when you do not. A confidence coaching program teaches you to find the root of these feelings. It might come from a past event in high school or a situation from when you were a child. We are all human, and we all carry stories that shape our confidence. Once you find the source, you can start to heal and grow.
Practical Steps for Executive Presence
Feeling confident is one thing, but showing it is another. If you want to move the needle, you have to act the part. This is often called "faking it until you make it." While that sounds simple, it involves real work on how you present yourself to the world. Heidi suggests several practical tips that anyone can start using today:
- Dress for Success: Wear clothes that make you feel powerful and professional. When you look the part, it is easier to feel the part.
- Slow Down Your Diction: People who are nervous tend to speak fast. By slowing down, you show that you are in control of the conversation.
- Master Your Tonality: It is often not what you say, but how you say it. Practice your tone in front of a mirror or record your voice to hear how you sound to others.
- Watch Your Body Language: Are you taking up space or trying to hide? A calm and thoughtful presence reassures your team that you are in charge.
- Listen More: Great leaders listen to their teams. This builds trust and shows that you value the ideas of others.
The Power of Video Feedback
One of the most helpful things you can do is record yourself. Almost no one likes watching themselves on video, but it is the best way to get honest feedback. When you watch a recording of a presentation or a meeting, you can see where you got tripped up. You might notice that you use too many filler words or that your energy drops at certain points. Seeing these things allows you to make quick changes that have a big impact on your presence. Our methodology includes using video to identify and correct these common blind spots.
Understanding Your Blind Spots
Sometimes the problem is not that we think too highly of ourselves. Sometimes, we do not give ourselves enough credit. This is where a 360 evaluation comes in. At Rise Up for You, these evaluations help leaders see the full picture of their performance. In the story of Dwayne, he rated his own skills very low. He thought he was a 3 out of 10 in areas like empathy and active listening. But his team gave him 8s and 9s.
Closing the Gap Between Self-Perception and Team Data
Dwayne had a blind spot. He was doing a great job, but his brain was telling him a different story. About 95% of people do not see themselves as they really are. When you join a confidence coaching program, you learn to trust the data over your own negative thoughts. If seven people say you are a great leader, they are likely right. It is almost impossible for everyone else to be wrong while only you are right about your flaws.
Coaching helps you "unpack" why you are being so hard on yourself. It stops the negative chatter in your head that says you are failing. When you close that gap between your view and the team's view, your leadership changes. You stop second guessing every move. You start to lead with a calm and thoughtful presence that makes others feel safe and motivated.
Why Feedback Is a Gift
Asking for feedback is not easy. It puts you in a vulnerable place. However, it is the only way to grow. Leaders like Dwayne who are willing to look at their 360 results are the ones who make the most progress. They use the data to realize they can think more highly of themselves. When you accept that you are doing well, your stress levels go down and your ability to influence others goes up.
From Transactional to Transformational Leadership
Many managers fall into the trap of transactional leadership. This means you just give orders and expect them to be followed. You talk, and they listen. You trade a paycheck for their time and effort. While this might get the job done for a short time, it does not build a great company culture or long term success.
The Power of Influence
A confidence coaching program teaches you the difference between being a boss and being a leader. Heidi found that the biggest "aha moment" in her training was learning about transformational leadership. This is based on influence rather than just power. When you are a trusted leader, people want to follow you. They want the organization to win because they believe in you and the mission.
The Role of Emotional Intelligence
Transformational leadership is closely tied to emotional intelligence. This includes knowing your own emotions and understanding the emotions of your team. When you have high emotional intelligence, you can navigate difficult conversations with ease. You can stay calm under pressure and help your team do the same. This is a learned skill. You can move from just giving directions to inspiring a team through a confidence coaching program that focuses on these success skills.
Tracking Your Growth and Success
To keep your spirits high, it is important to track your wins. Lauren suggests using an "accomplishment tracker." This is not about bragging or being full of yourself. It is about keeping a factual record of your worth. When you feel low or when a project goes wrong, you can look at the list of things you have done well. It reminds you how far you have come and what you are capable of achieving.
Identifying Personal Breakthroughs and Realizations
One of the best parts of coaching is the "aha moment." This is when a person realizes something new about themselves. It might be a breakthrough in how they handle stress or a realization that they have been standing in their own way. These moments lead to real change in a very short amount of time.
When you look back over six months of a confidence coaching program, the changes are often huge. You might see:
- Higher levels of accountability across your team.
- Better communication that is open and honest.
- Reports and projects being finished on time because you set clear expectations.
- A sense of peace in your daily work life.
The Goal of 1% Growth
Growth does not have to happen all at once. In fact, trying to change everything in a single day usually leads to burnout. The best way to build lasting confidence is to aim for 1% growth each week. If you grow just a tiny bit every seven days, you will be over 50% better by the end of the year. This kind of steady, sustainable growth is what makes a great leader.
Frequently Asked Questions About Building Professional Presence
What exactly is a confidence coaching program?
A confidence coaching program is a structured series of sessions designed to help you improve your self-belief and professional presence. Unlike traditional training that focuses on technical skills, these programs focus on your mindset. You work with a coach to identify the thoughts that hold you back. Through practice and feedback, you learn to speak with more authority, handle pressure, and view yourself as a capable leader. It is about finding the "why" behind your lack of confidence and replacing it with practical tools.
How do I know if I need a confidence coaching program?
If you often feel like an imposter in meetings or hesitate to share your ideas because you fear judgment, you could benefit from this type of support. Other signs include being overly critical of your work, feeling intimidated by senior leaders, or receiving feedback that your "executive presence" needs improvement. Even successful leaders use a confidence coaching program to close the gap between how they feel inside and how they want to appear to their team. It is for anyone who wants to reach the next level of leadership.
What is the difference between transactional and influential leadership?
Transactional leadership is based on a simple exchange: the leader gives an order, and the employee completes the task. It is very direct but often lacks inspiration and long term loyalty. Influential leadership, or transformational leadership, is about building trust and shared goals. Instead of just telling people what to do, you inspire them to want to do their best for the good of the team. This shift helps create a more loyal team and a more successful organization overall.
Can self-confidence really be learned?
Yes. Self-confidence is often treated like a talent you are born with, but it is actually a skill. Just like learning to play an instrument or a sport, you can improve your confidence through repetition and the right techniques. A confidence coaching program provides the tools to practice these skills in a safe environment. By changing your habits, such as your posture, tone of voice, and internal thoughts, you can build a strong foundation of confidence that stays with you.
What is a 360 evaluation and how does it help?
A 360 evaluation is a process where you receive anonymous feedback from your peers, managers, and the people who report to you. It is a powerful tool because it reveals your "blind spots," which are things others see about you that you do not see yourself. You might think you are a poor communicator, but your team might actually find you very clear and helpful. Seeing this data helps you stop believing negative stories that are not true and gives you a realistic view of your strengths.
How long does it take to see results from coaching?
Many people see a difference in their mindset and how they feel in just a few sessions. However, lasting change that sticks usually takes three to six months of consistent work. During this time, you work on specific goals, practice new behaviors, and track your progress. The goal is steady, incremental growth. As mentioned in the article, growing just 1% each week leads to massive improvement over a full year. Patience and practice are the keys to success.
